Pumpkin Raisin Yeast Bread
Breads
Holiday
or margarine
(optional)
bread flour is best
1. In a glass measuring cup, add water (just slightly warmer than room temperature), sugar and ginger, then sprinkle in the contents of the yeast packages. Stir with metal spoon and remove the spoon. Use your finger to push off the spoon any yeast back into the water. Set it aside while you gather your bread ingredients.
2. In a large bowl combine the evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter, sugar, salt, spices. Add about one cup of the flour and mix. The yeast mixture now should be dissolved and bubbly. If it is not, the yeast may need to sit a few more minutes. Or, the yeast could be old. Add the yeast mixture to the large bowl and stir into the pumpkin mixture. Add the eggs and stir in until combined, then begin adding the additional flour. ONLY add enough flour so the mixture will hold together.
3. Spill the dough out onto a floured board and begin kneading, using the heels of your hands. Add flour as needed so the dough becomes elastic, about 10 minutes. Toward the end of the kneading, add the raisins (and walnuts, if using) and distribute them evenly in the bread ball. Place in a lightly greased bowl, cover and allow to rise - about 45 minutes to an hour - in a warm place. Be sure there are no drafts.
4 Pour the dough back out onto your floured board and knead again until you've popped all the bubbles out of the dough. With a sharp, serrated knife, cut the dough in half and knead each half until it's an elongated oval. Place into two bread pans and cover. Allow them to rise until they're mounded above the pan. This dough rises fairly quickly, so you will want to be prepared to put them in the oven - don't wait until they're high enough to turn on the oven! Preheat the oven to 375°.
5. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and using mitts or large hotpads, remove the bread and allow to cool on a rack.
A moist, sandwich bread.
This is sensational with leftover turkey in a simple sandwich with Best Foods Mayonnaise and lettuce. If it's holiday time I always add a little of my homemade cranberry-orange-apple relish to the sandwiches too!
This recipe began one Thanksgiving weekend when I needed bread for the turkey sandwiches. I've never gotten this recipe to work in my bread machine, so after a few tries I gave up. If using a stand mixer, just put the yeast mixture in first, allow it to bubble, then begin adding other ingredients, with the flour toward the end. And the raisins and walnuts at the very end. Be sure to use the dough hook so you don't have to do so much kneading. To keep, once the bread is cooled, slice and freeze with a covering of foil, then in a plastic bag. Or, it will keep for about 2 days at room temp, sealed in a plastic bag.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 135 Calories; 3g Fat (20.4% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 141mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.